Scale removing unit

Abstract

To provide a scale removing unit capable of removing scales in an obliquely downward region on an outer peripheral surface of an object pipe even when a gap between pipes is narrow.SOLUTION: A scale removing unit 1 includes a vibration generator 11 and a rod 12. The vibration generator 11 includes: grip parts 11d, 11e which an operator grips; a device body part 11a having a build-in vibration generating source, and disposed with an operation part; and a mounting base part 11c on which the rod 12 is mounted. The rod 12 is a rod-like member having a base end part 12b detachable from the mounting base part 11c, and a bent part 12c bent in an arc shape, and extending from the base end part 12b to the bent part 12c. In a state that the vibration generator 11 is positioned outside a pipe group, the rod 12 is inserted into a gap between pipes so that the bent part 12c reaches an object pipe. The bent part 12c receives vibration generated by the vibration generator 11 and vibrates.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a descaling unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Ultrasonic wall thickness measurements are sometimes performed on a group of tubes provided in a boiler, etc. Ultrasonic wall thickness measurements are performed by bringing an ultrasonic probe into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the tube to be measured.

[0003] Incidentally, in tube bundles such as boilers, scale can adhere to the outer circumferential surface. Scale is ash and dust from combustion products that adhere to and accumulate on the outer circumferential surface of the tubes. Scale often has an irregular shape and is impervious to ultrasonic waves. Therefore, when measuring the wall thickness of a tube using ultrasonic waves, it is necessary to remove the scale from the area of ​​the outer circumferential surface of the tube to be measured.

[0004] Patent Document 1 proposes a device that applies vibrations to remove scale adhering to the outer peripheral surface of a tube. The device proposed in Patent Document 1 includes a housing held by an operator, a flexible hose extending from the housing, and a rod-shaped vibrator joined to the flexible hose. The rod-shaped vibrator includes an outer tube that forms the exterior and an eccentric weight disposed inside the outer tube. A drive motor for driving the eccentric weight of the rod-shaped vibrator is housed in the housing. In the device proposed in Patent Document 1, the eccentric weight is driven while the rod-shaped vibrator is inserted deep inside the boiler, causing the rod-shaped vibrator to vibrate and remove scale. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-168135 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] It is known that in boilers, the diagonally downward region of the outer circumferential surface of the tube is prone to thinning. Therefore, it is necessary to remove scale from the diagonally downward region, which is prone to thinning. In consideration of this demand, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of using a device in which a rod-shaped vibrator of the device is inserted diagonally relative to the vertical direction.

[0007] However, since the boiler has a boiler side wall that surrounds the area in which the tubes are housed, there may be cases where the rod-shaped vibrator cannot reach the tubes located deep inside when using the method disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0008] Furthermore, when the gap between the tubes is narrow when viewed from above, the rod-shaped vibrator may not be able to be inserted deep into the boiler. This is because, in the device of Patent Document 1, the rod-shaped vibrator includes an eccentric weight housed therein and a flexible shaft housed therein, and there is a limit to how small the outer diameters of the rod-shaped vibrator and the flexible hose can be. In particular, when viewing a large number of tubes from the axial direction, in a boiler in which a large number of tubes are arranged in a staggered pattern, the gap between the tubes when viewed from above is very narrow. For this reason, it may be impossible to insert the rod-shaped vibrator with an eccentric weight housed therein into a tube located deep inside the boiler.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a scale removal unit that can remove scale from the diagonally lower area on the outer surface of the target pipe, even when the gap between the pipes is narrow. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A scale removal unit according to one aspect of the present invention is a unit for removing scale that has adhered to a target pipe that is to be descaled and that is one of the pipes that make up a pipe group in which a large number of pipes are arranged with gaps between them. The scale removal unit according to this aspect includes a vibration generator and a rod. The vibration generator includes a vibration generating source that is activated by operation by an operator. The rod is a rod-shaped member that has a base end to which the vibration generator is attached and a tip end that is curved in an arc, and extends from the base end to the tip end.

[0011] The rod is inserted into the gap between the pipes so that the tip reaches the target pipe, with the vibration generator positioned outside the pipe bank, and the rod is configured to vibrate at the tip by receiving vibrations generated by the vibration generating source when activated.

[0012] In the scale removal unit according to the above embodiment, the vibration source is not provided on a rod inserted into the tube bank, but on a vibration generating device that is not inserted into the tube bank. The rod is a rod-shaped rod whose tip vibrates in response to vibrations generated by the vibration source. Therefore, the rod can be formed with a smaller cross-sectional size than the rod-shaped vibrator or flexible hose included in the device proposed in Patent Document 1. Therefore, the scale removal unit according to this embodiment can insert the tip of the rod deep into a boiler with a staggered arrangement of multiple tubes by aligning the bending direction of the tip along the axial direction of each tube in the tube bank. Once the tip reaches the target tube, the bending direction of the tip can be changed to a direction intersecting the axial direction of the tube, allowing the tip to abut against scale adhering diagonally below the target tube. Therefore, the scale removal unit can remove scale adhering diagonally below the target tube, even if the target tube is located deep inside, without inserting the rod diagonally downward into the boiler tube bank as in the device proposed in Patent Document 1.

[0013] In the scale removal unit according to the above aspect, the tip portion may be bent in an arc shape that is greater than or equal to a quarter circle and less than or equal to a semicircle.

[0014] In the scale removal unit according to the above aspect, the tip of the rod is bent in an arc shape that is greater than or equal to a quarter circle and less than or equal to a semicircle, so that the tip of the rod can be fitted along the target pipe having a circular outer periphery, thereby enabling scale adhering to the outer periphery of the target pipe to be removed without missing any.

[0015] In the scale removal unit according to the above aspect, the tip portion may have a protrusion that protrudes from a midpoint of the tip portion toward the inside of the arc.

[0016] In the scale removal unit according to the above aspect, the tip of the rod has a protrusion, and therefore, by bringing the protrusion into contact with the scale and applying local vibration to the scale, it is possible to remove hard scale in a short time.

[0017] In the scale removal unit according to the above aspect, the rod may have an intermediate portion between the base end and the tip end in the longitudinal direction that extends linearly, and the tip end bends in an arc in a direction intersecting the direction in which the intermediate portion extends. The vibration generator may have a rod mounting portion to which the base end is attached, and may be configured so that, when the vibration generating source is activated, the rod mounting portion vibrates in a manner that revolves along the periphery of a circle or ellipse in a plane perpendicular to the intersecting direction.

[0018] In the scale removal unit according to the above aspect, the rod mounting portion of the vibration generator is configured to vibrate in a manner that revolves around the outer periphery of a circle or ellipse within the above plane, and the rod attached to the rod mounting portion also vibrates in a similar manner. Therefore, when the rod is vibrated with its tip in contact with scale, forces can be applied to the scale in at least two directions (the direction in which the scale accumulates and the direction in which the scale spreads along the pipe axis). Therefore, the scale removal unit can apply an impact force to scale adhering to the target pipe in the direction of accumulation, and can also apply a force that rubs the scale along the pipe axis of the target pipe. Therefore, the scale removal device can remove scale adhering to the outer surface of the target pipe with high efficiency.

[0019] In the scale removal unit according to the above aspect, the base end of the rod may be configured to be detachable from the vibration generating device.

[0020] In the scale removal unit according to the above aspect, the base end of the rod is configured to be detachable from the vibration generator. Therefore, if the rod becomes deformed or damaged during use of the scale removal unit, it is possible to replace just the rod. Therefore, by making the rod detachable from the vibration generator as described above, it is possible to reduce running costs.

[0021] Furthermore, in the scale removal unit, a rod having an optimum shape can be selectively attached and used depending on the size, cross-sectional shape, etc. of the target pipe. Therefore, in the scale removal unit, by attaching a rod having an optimum shape depending on the size and shape of the target pipe, scale can be removed efficiently. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] In the scale removal unit according to each of the above aspects, scale can be removed from the diagonally lower region on the outer peripheral surface of the target pipe even when the gap between the pipes is narrow. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a scale removal unit according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the vibration form of a mounting base portion in the vibration generator. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the cross section III-III of FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing a boiler having target tubes that are the target for descaling; [Figure 5] 1(a) is a diagram for explaining a method of inserting a rod into a boiler, and FIG. 1(b) is a diagram showing the state in which the bent portion of the rod is aligned with the target tube. [Figure 6] These are diagrams for explaining a method for removing scale adhering to a target pipe, where (a) is a view from the pipe axis direction, and (b) is a view from a direction perpendicular to the pipe axis. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a scale removal unit according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are merely illustrative of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments except for the essential configuration.

[0025] [First embodiment] A scale removal unit 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG.

[0026] 4 and 6, the scale removal unit 1 according to this embodiment is a unit used to remove scale 502 adhering to a target tube 501a that is the target for removing the scale 502 from among the many tubes 501 included in a boiler 500. More specifically, the scale removal unit 1 according to this embodiment is a unit developed to remove scale 502 adhering to the outer peripheral surface 501b of the target tube 501a that is to be inspected for thinning using ultrasound before the inspection.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 4, in a boiler 500, a large number of tubes 501 are arranged with gaps formed between them. As shown in Fig. 5(b), the large number of tubes 501 are arranged such that the tube axes Ax 501 The groups are arranged in the horizontal direction so as to be parallel to each other, and the groups arranged in the horizontal direction are arranged so as to form a plurality of layers in the vertical direction.

[0028] It is known that the tube 501 in the boiler 500 is prone to thinning at an angle of approximately 45 degrees downward from the outer surface 501b, so the scale removal unit 1 is configured to be able to remove scale 502 that has adhered to the outer surface 501b of the target tube 501a at an angle of approximately 45 degrees downward.

[0029] 1. Structure of scale removal unit 1 The scale removal unit 1 according to this embodiment is inserted into the gaps between the pipes 501 so as to reach the target pipes 501a, including not only the pipes 501 located in the surface layer 500a of the boiler 500 but also the pipes 501 located in the deep layer 500b. The scale removal unit 1 is used to remove scale 502 adhering to the outer peripheral surface 501b of the target pipe 501a. The specific configuration of the scale removal unit 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0030] 1, the scale removal unit 1 includes a vibration generator 11, a rod 12, a bracket 13, and a bolt 14. The vibration generator 11 includes a device main body 11a, a power supply 11b, an attachment base 11c, and a pair of grippers 11d and 11e. The device main body 11a, the power supply 11b, the attachment base 11c, and the pair of grippers 11d and 11e are integrally configured.

[0031] The device main body 11a has a vibration generating source built into the housing, and an operation unit that accepts operation by the operator is formed on the outer surface of the housing. The operation unit of the device main body 11a is located near either of the grips 11d or 11e. The vibration generating source of the device main body 11a includes a drive unit that generates a drive force in response to an input by the operator to the operation unit, and a mechanism that rotates along the outer periphery of a circle or ellipse within a predetermined plane by the drive force of the drive unit.

[0032] The driving unit of the vibration generating source may be, for example, a motor capable of outputting a rotational driving force, a linear actuator, or the like.

[0033] The mounting base 11c is a rod mounting portion to which the rod 12 is detachably attached. The mounting base 11c is connected to the mechanical portion of the device main body 11a, and vibrates along the outer periphery of a circle or ellipse when driven by the drive portion of the device main body 11a.

[0034] The power supply unit 11b supplies power to the drive unit of the device main body 11a. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 11b includes a secondary battery, for example. However, the power supply unit 11b may be a connector to which a power line for receiving AC power is connected.

[0035] The gripping portion 11d and the gripping portion 11e are arranged to sandwich the device main body portion 11a. By adopting a configuration in which the gripping portion 11d and the gripping portion 11e are arranged to sandwich the device main body portion 11a in this manner, the operator can hold the scale removal unit 1 in a stable posture. However, the vibration generator 11 may be provided with only one gripping portion.

[0036] The rod 12 is a rod-shaped member formed using a metal material (specifically, SCM (high tensile steel)). In this manner, since the rod 12 is made of a metal material such as high tensile steel, in this embodiment, the rod 12 is less likely to break or bend compared to when it is made of other materials.

[0037] The rod 12 is integrally formed with a rod main body (middle portion) 12a extending linearly in one direction (X direction), a bent portion (tip portion) 12c continuing from one side (-X side) of the rod main body 12a, and a base end portion 12b continuing from the other side (+X side) of the rod main body 12a.

[0038] The bent portion 12c is bent in an arc shape. By bending in an arc shape, the bent portion 12c protrudes from the rod main body 12a in a direction (+Z side) intersecting the extension direction (X direction) of the rod main body 12a. In this embodiment, the bent portion 12c is bent in a quadrant arc shape. As a result, the tip 12d of the bent portion 12c is oriented in a direction (+Z side) perpendicular to the extension direction (X direction) of the rod main body 12a. However, the bent portion 12c may be bent in an arc shape that is greater than a quarter circle and less than a semicircle.

[0039] The base end 12b is a portion that extends linearly in the X direction following the rod main body 12a. The base end 12b is attached to the mounting base 11c of the vibration generator 11 via a bracket 13. However, the base end 12b may also be attached directly to the mounting base 11c without the bracket 13.

[0040] The bracket 13 is joined to the base end portion 12b of the rod 12. The bracket 13 is capable of surface contact with the flat mounting surface (the -Z side surface, not shown in FIG. 1) of the mounting base portion 11c.

[0041] The bracket 13 is attached to the mounting base portion 11c using a plurality of (for example, four) bolts 14. However, the manner in which the bracket 13 is attached to the mounting base portion 11c is not limited to this. For example, rivets or the like can also be used for attachment instead of the bolts 14.

[0042] 2. Operation of scale removal unit 1 As shown in FIG. 4 , the rod 12 of the scale removal unit 1, attached to the vibration generator 11, is inserted into the boiler 500 until the bent portion 12c reaches the target tube 501a, from which scale 502 is to be removed, among the tube bundles included in the boiler 500. Then, with the rod 12 inserted into the boiler 500 and the vibration generator 11 positioned outside the boiler 500, an operator inputs information into the operation unit, thereby driving the drive source of the device main body 11a. As a result, vibrations generated by the vibration generating source of the device main body 11a are transmitted to the bent portion 12c via the bracket 13 and the rod main body 12a of the rod 12. In this way, the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 is vibrated. The procedure for inserting the rod 12 into the tube bundle in the boiler 500 and the procedure for removing the scale 502 will be described later.

[0043] 3. Vibration of the mounting base portion 11c of the vibration generator 11 As shown in Fig. 2, the mounting base portion 11c has a flat mounting surface to which the bracket 13 (see Fig. 1) is attached. The mounting surface of the mounting base portion 11c extends in a direction (extending in the X and Y directions) perpendicular to the direction (Z direction) in which the bent portion 12c protrudes from the rod main body portion 12a described with reference to Fig. 1. That is, the bent portion 12c is bent in a direction (Z direction) intersecting the direction (X direction) in which the rod main body portion 12a extends, and the mounting surface of the mounting base portion 11c is formed to extend in a direction (X and Y directions) perpendicular to the intersecting direction (Z direction).

[0044] When the vibration generating source of the vibration generator 11 is activated, the mounting surface of the mounting base 11c vibrates in a manner that revolves around the outer periphery of the ellipse, as indicated by the symbol A. That is, the mounting base 11c of the vibration generator 11 vibrates in a manner that revolves around the outer periphery of the ellipse in a plane (in the XY plane) perpendicular to the direction in which the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 protrudes from the rod main body 12a (the Z direction in FIG. 1). The vibration of the mounting base 11c of the vibration generator 11 is also transmitted to the rod 12 attached to the mounting base 11c via the bracket 13. As a result, the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 also vibrates in a manner that revolves around the outer periphery of the ellipse in the same manner as the mounting base 11c. That is, when the vibration generating source of the vibration generator 11 is activated, the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 also vibrates in a manner that revolves around the outer periphery of the ellipse in the XY plane.

[0045] In this embodiment, the mounting base 11c of the vibration generator 11 vibrates so as to revolve around the outer periphery of an ellipse as indicated by the symbol A, but the vibration form is not limited to this. For example, the vibration may be vibrated so as to revolve around the outer periphery of a circle.

[0046] 4. Cross-sectional shape of rod 12 3, the rod 12 is made of a solid bar material and has a circular outer periphery, but the rod 12 may also be made of a hollow bar material, or may be made of a solid or hollow bar material having an oval outer periphery.

[0047] The rod 12 is formed to have an outer diameter D. The outer diameter D is, for example, 5 to 6 mm, taking into consideration the size of the gap between the tubes in the boiler, which will be described later.

[0048] Although Figure 3 shows only the rod main body portion 12a of the rod 12, the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 may also have an outer diameter dimension D, or may have an outer diameter dimension smaller than that of the rod main body portion 12a.

[0049] 5. Boiler 500 Configuration As shown in FIG. 4, the boiler 500 includes a tube bundle composed of a large number of tubes 501 arranged with a gap therebetween. When viewing the large number of tubes 501 from the direction of their tube axes, the large number of tubes 501 constituting the tube bundle are arranged in a staggered pattern. However, the large number of tubes 501 constituting the tube bundle may be arranged in a grid pattern instead of in a staggered pattern.

[0050] Here, when viewing the boiler 500 from the outside on the side of the surface layer portion 500a toward the deep layer portion 500b, there is a gap of dimension G between the tubes 501. As shown by the arrow B, the rod 12 of the scale removal unit 1 is inserted toward the deep layer portion 500b through the gap of dimension G between the tubes 501. In this case, the outer diameter dimension D of the rod 12 described using FIG. 3 is defined so as to satisfy the relationship D < G with respect to the dimension G of the gap between the tubes 501. In this embodiment, as an example, the dimension G is about 10 mm.

[0051] 6. Method for Inserting the Rod 12 into the Deep Layer Portion 500b of the Boiler 500 In the boiler 500, scale 502 may adhere to the tubes 501 in the surface layer portion 500a, or scale 502 may adhere to the tubes 501 in the deep layer portion 500b. The scale removal unit 1 according to this embodiment can not only remove the scale 502 adhering to the tubes 501 in the surface layer portion 500a, but can also remove the scale 502 adhering to the target tube 501a located in the deep layer portion 500b. That is, the scale 502 adhering to the target tube 501a is the object to be removed. Hereinafter, the method for inserting the rod 12 into the target tube 501a when attempting to remove the scale 502 adhering to the target tube 501a located in the deep layer portion 500b of the boiler 500 will be described.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 5(a), the rod 12 is inserted vertically downward from the surface layer 500a of the boiler 500 (arrow B). In this case, in order to prevent the bent portion 12c from interfering with the tube 501 above the target tube 501a from which the scale 502 is to be removed, the protruding direction of the bent portion 12c from the rod main body 12a is aligned with the tube axis Ax of the tube 501 located above. 501 The posture of the scale removal unit 1 is determined so that it follows the pipe axis Ax of the pipe 501. Depending on the projection dimension of the tip 12d from the axis center of the rod main body 12a of the rod 12, the projection direction of the bent portion 12c may be adjusted to be along the pipe axis Ax of the pipe 501. 501 It is not necessarily necessary to conform to the

[0053] 5(b), when the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 reaches the target pipe 501a (a pipe located in the deep layer portion 500b) from which scaling is to be removed, the orientation of the scale removal unit 1 is rotated around the axis of the rod 12 so that the bent portion 12c is positioned below the target pipe 501a. Although not shown, even when the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 reaches the target pipe 501a, the vibration generator 11 equipped with a vibration generating source is located outside the boiler 500. In other words, the rod 12 of the scale removal unit 1 has a length that allows it to reach the target pipe 501a located in the deep layer portion 500b from outside the boiler 500.

[0054] With the bent portion 12c positioned below the target pipe 501a as described above, the operator can raise the scale removal unit 1 slightly vertically upward, causing the inner arc portion of the bent portion 12c to come into contact with or approach the scale 502 (see FIG. 6) adhering to the target pipe 501a. More specifically, the inner arc portion of the bent portion 12c comes into contact with or approach the scale 502 adhering to the diagonally downward portion (including the portion diagonally downward at 45°) of the outer circumferential surface 501b of the target pipe 501a (the scale is not shown in FIG. 5(b)).

[0055] When the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 reaches the target pipe 501a located in the deep portion 500b of the boiler 500, the operator inputs a drive command to the operating unit of the vibration generating device 11 (an operating unit not shown, but provided on the device main body 11a), and vibration is transmitted from the vibration generating source of the vibration generating device 11 to the bent portion 12c of the rod 12, thereby performing scale removal.

[0056] 7. Vibration and descaling of bent section 12c 5(a) and 5(b), the bent portion 12c is brought into contact with the scale 502, and vibration is applied in this state to remove the scale 502. The vibration form of the bent portion 12c when removing the scale 502 and the removal of the scale 502 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0057] As shown in Figures 6(a) and (b), when removing scale 502 using the scale removal unit 1, vibration is applied from the vibration generator 11 to the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 with a portion of the bent portion 12c abutting against the scale 502 adhering to the outer surface 501b of the target pipe 501a.

[0058] 2, the mounting base 11c of the vibration generator 11 vibrates in a manner that revolves along the outer periphery of an ellipse in a plane (XY plane) perpendicular to the direction in which the bent portion 12c protrudes from the rod main body 12a. Vibrations are transmitted to the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 via the bracket 13, and the bent portion 12c vibrates in a manner that revolves along the outer periphery of an ellipse in the XY plane, just like the mounting base 11c.

[0059] The bent portion 12c vibrates in a manner of rotating along the outer periphery of the ellipse in the XY plane as described above, thereby applying a force (arrow C1) in the vertical direction (longitudinal direction of the rod main body portion 12a) to the scale 502 and rotating the bent portion 12c in a manner of rotating along the tube axis Ax of the target tube 501a. 501 That is, in the scale removal unit 1, the bent portion 12c vibrates so as to revolve along the outer periphery of an ellipse in the XY plane, thereby striking the scale 502 in its thickness direction and applying a force in the direction along the tube axis Ax.501 The scale 502 can be removed by rubbing in the direction along the arrow.

[0060] 8.Effects In the scale removal unit 1 according to this embodiment, the vibration generating source is not provided on the rod 12 inserted inside the tube group, but on the vibration generating device 11 that is not inserted inside the boiler 500. The rod 12 is a rod-shaped rod, and the bent portion 12c vibrates in response to the transmission of vibrations generated by the vibration generating source. For this reason, the rod 12 can be formed with a cross-sectional size thinner than the rod-shaped vibrating body or flexible hose provided in the device proposed in the above Patent Document 1. Therefore, in the scale removal unit 1, even for a boiler 500 in which a large number of tubes 501 including the target tube 501a are arranged in a staggered pattern, the direction in which the bent portion 12c protrudes from the rod main body portion 12a is aligned with the tube axis Ax of each tube 501 of the tube group. 501 The bent portion 12c of the rod 12 can be inserted to the deep portion 500b of the boiler 500 along the pipe axis Ax. 501 By changing the direction of rotation of the rod 12c to a direction intersecting the direction of rotation of the rod 12c, the bent portion 12c can be brought into contact with the scale 502 adhering to the obliquely below the target tube 501a. Therefore, in the scale removal unit 1, even if the target tube 501a is located in the deep layer 500b, the scale 502 adhering to the obliquely below the target tube 501a can be removed without inserting the rod obliquely downward into the tube group of the boiler 500 as in the device proposed in Patent Document 1.

[0061] Furthermore, in the scale removal unit 1, the mounting base portion 11c of the vibration generator 11 is configured to vibrate in a manner that revolves around the outer periphery of an ellipse as indicated by the symbol A in FIG. 2. Therefore, the rod 12 attached to the mounting base portion 11c vibrates in a similar manner. Therefore, when vibrating the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 while it is in contact with or close to the scale 502, the rod 12 vibrates in at least two directions (the direction in which the scale 502 is deposited and the direction in which the tube axis Ax) with respect to the scale 502. 501Therefore, in the scale removal unit 1, an impact force can be applied to the scale 502 adhering to the target pipe 501a in the accumulation direction, and the impact force can be applied to the scale 502 adhering to the target pipe 501a in the direction of the pipe axis Ax of the target pipe 501a. 501 A force can be applied in the direction so as to rub against the scale 502. Therefore, the scale removal unit 1 can highly efficiently remove the scale 502 adhering to the outer peripheral surface 501b of the target pipe 501a.

[0062] In this embodiment, the mounting base portion 11c vibrates in a manner that rotates along the outer periphery of an ellipse as described above, but it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the mounting base portion 11c vibrates in a manner that rotates along the outer periphery of a circle.

[0063] In addition, in the scale removal unit 1, the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 is bent in a quadrant arc shape, so that the bent portion 12c of the rod 12 can be fitted along the target pipe 501a having a circular outer periphery, thereby enabling the scale 502 adhering to the outer circumferential surface 501b of the target pipe 501a to be removed without missing any.

[0064] Furthermore, in the scale removal unit 1, the base end 12b of the rod 12 is configured to be detachable via a bracket 13 to the mounting base 11c of the vibration generator 11. Therefore, if multiple rods 12 are prepared in advance, it is possible to replace only the rod 12 if the rod 12 becomes deformed or damaged while using the scale removal unit 1. Therefore, by making the rod 12 detachable from the vibration generator 11 as described above, it is possible to reduce running costs.

[0065] Furthermore, in the scale removal unit 1, if multiple types of rods 12 with different radii of curvature and shapes of the bent portions 12c are prepared in advance depending on the outer diameter dimensions and placement position of the target pipe 501a, the scale 502 can be efficiently removed by attaching a rod 12 with an optimal shape depending on the outer diameter dimensions and placement position of the target pipe 501a. In other words, the scale removal unit 1 may be equipped with multiple types of rods 12 with different radii of curvature and shapes of the bent portions 12c.

[0066] Furthermore, the scale removal unit 1 uses a rod 12 formed using steel (metal material) such as high-tensile steel, so that even if a bending load is applied to the rod 12 due to contact with the target pipe 501a or the pipe 501 during insertion, the rod 12 can be prevented from breaking or bending.

[0067] As described above, in the scale removal unit 1 according to this embodiment, even when the gap between the pipes 501 is narrow, the scale 502 in the diagonally downward region on the outer circumferential surface 501b of the target pipe 501a can be removed.

[0068] [Second embodiment] The scale removal unit 1 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0069] 7, the scale removal unit 1 according to this embodiment includes a rod 22 in addition to the rod 12 described above as a rod to be inserted into the boiler 500. That is, the scale removal unit 1 further includes a second rod (rod 22) separate from the first rod, rod 12. This is the difference from the first embodiment.

[0070] Like the first rod 12, the second rod 22 is a rod-shaped rod that is inserted into the boiler 500 until it reaches the target tube 501a from which scale 502 is to be removed. The second rod 22 is also formed using a metal material such as steel (high-tensile steel, for example). The second rod 22 is formed by integrally forming a rod main body portion (second intermediate portion) 22a, a base end portion (second base end portion) 22b, and a bent portion (second tip end portion) 22c. Of these, the rod main body portion 22a and the base end portion 22b are formed with the same configurations as the rod main body portion 12a and the base end portion 12b of the first rod 12, respectively. That is, the second rod 22 differs from the first rod 12 in the shape of the bent portion 22c.

[0071] The bent portion 22c of the second rod 22 has a protrusion 22e. The protrusion 22e is formed so as to protrude in a hook shape at an angle of 90° or more with respect to the direction in which the rod main body 22a extends from the base end 22b side toward the bent portion 22c side (the direction indicated by -X). In other words, the protrusion 22e is formed so as to protrude inward from the arc-shaped portion of the bent portion 22c.

[0072] In the scale removal unit 1 according to this embodiment, the first rod 12 and the second rod 22 can be selectively attached to the mounting base 11c of the vibration generator 11 according to the scale 502 adhering to the target pipe 501a. The effect achieved when the first rod 12 is attached to the vibration generator 11 is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0073] On the other hand, when the second rod 22 is attached to the mounting base 11c of the vibration generator 11 via the bracket 13 (arrow E1), the protrusion 22e comes into contact with the scale 502 adhering to the diagonally lower portion of the target pipe 501a. As a result, vibration is applied locally to the scale 502 from the tip of the protrusion 22e as shown by arrow E2. Therefore, when the second rod 22 is selectively attached to the vibration generator 11 in the scale removal unit 1, it is possible to remove the scale 502 in a short time even if the scale 502 is hard.

[0074] [Variations] In the first and second embodiments, the bent portions 12c, 22c of the rods 12, 22 are bent in a quadrant arc shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, rods having bent portions (tip portions) bent in an arc shape larger than a quarter circle but smaller than a semicircle may also be used. Furthermore, the bent shape does not necessarily have to be a circular arc shape, and may be an elliptical arc shape or an oblong arc shape.

[0075] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the vibration generator 11 is employed in which the mounting base (rod mounting portion) 11c vibrates in a manner that revolves around the periphery of an ellipse within the above-mentioned plane, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to employ a vibration generator in which the mounting base (rod mounting portion) vibrates in a manner that revolves around the periphery of a circle within the above-mentioned plane, or a vibration generator in which the mounting base (rod mounting portion) vibrates in a manner that simply reciprocates in a straight line.

[0076] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the rod 12 is detachably attached to the mounting base 11c of the vibration generator 11, but the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration in which the base end of the rod 12 is fixed to the mounting base 11c may also be employed. Furthermore, in the present invention, it is not necessarily required that the rod 12 be attached to the mounting base 11c, and the rod 12 may be attached to another location on the vibration generator 11 as long as vibrations generated by the vibration generation source of the vibration generator 11 are transmitted to the rod 12. The same applies to the second rod 22 in the second embodiment.

[0077] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, two types of rods, the first rod 12 and the second rod 22, can be selectively attached to the vibration generator 11, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, a configuration in which the rods are not detachable from the vibration generator 11, but one of the rods 12 and 22 is fixed to the vibration generator 11, can also be employed. Also, a configuration in which the rod 22 is detachably attached to the vibration generator 11 can be employed. In this case, multiple types of rods 22 with different shapes and positions of the protrusions 22e can be prepared, and the optimal rod 22 can be selected and attached to the vibration generator 11 depending on the size and shape of the target pipe 501a, the size and position of the scale 502 to be removed, etc.

[0078] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the first rod 12 and the second rod 22 are solid members formed using a steel material such as high-tensile steel (an example of a metal material), but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, any member that can receive vibrations generated by the vibration generator 11 and transmit the vibrations to the tip of the rod (the portion that contacts the scale) can be used. For example, a rod made of a hollow bar can be used. Regarding the material of the rod, in addition to metal materials such as high-tensile steel, non-ferrous metal materials that can ensure strength, such as titanium alloys, can also be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1 Descaling Unit 11 Vibration generator 11a Device main body 11c Mounting base (rod mounting part) 11d,11e Grip part 12 Rod (1st Rod) 12a Rod body (middle part) 12b Proximal end 12c Bent part (tip part) 22 Rod (2nd Rod) 22a Rod main body (second intermediate part) 22b Base end (second base end) 22c Bent part (second tip) 22e Protrusion 501 tube 501a Target pipe 502 scale

Claims

1. A scale removal unit for removing scales that have adhered to target pipes that are targets for scale removal among the pipes that make up a pipe group in which a large number of pipes are arranged with gaps between them, a vibration generating device having a vibration generating source that is operated by an operator; a rod having a base end to which the vibration generator is attached and a tip end having an arc-shaped curve, the rod extending from the base end to the tip end; Equipped with The rod is inserted into the gap between the pipes so that the tip reaches the target pipe with the vibration generator positioned outside the pipe bank, and is configured to vibrate the tip by receiving vibrations generated by the vibration generating source when activated. Descaling unit.

2. The tip portion is bent into an arc shape of a quarter circle or more and a semicircle or less. The descaling unit according to claim 1 .

3. The tip portion has a protrusion that protrudes from a midpoint of the tip portion toward the inside of the arc. The scale removal unit according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The rod has an intermediate portion between the base end portion and the tip end portion in the longitudinal direction that extends linearly, and the tip end portion is curved in an arc shape in a direction intersecting the direction in which the intermediate portion extends, The vibration generator has a rod mounting portion to which the base end portion is attached, and is configured such that, when the vibration generating source is activated, the rod mounting portion vibrates in a manner that revolves along the outer periphery of a circle or ellipse within a plane perpendicular to the intersecting direction. The scale removal unit according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The base end of the rod is configured to be detachable from the vibration generator. The scale removal unit according to claim 1 or 2.

Images